Mushrooms were linked to stronger short-term and working memory in 3,162 Japanese adults ages 40 to 85 followed for an average of 10.5 years. The advantage became more noticeable at moderate to high intake levels, with higher mushroom consumption consistently tracking with better digit span performance after adjustment for diet, health, activity, education, and APOE status. That points to better everyday mental hold capacity, the kind used to follow instructions, keep track of numbers, and stay focused.